Disclosure: This is not a compensated or sponsored post. I was provided the product for review purposes only. All opinions expressed here are my own.

I have been on a mission to organize  EVERYTHING: schedule, work life, home life and more.  I am a closeted organization freak who has to have order to function. I recently had a friend of mine ask me to help them get organized.

The game plan: Get all her facets of life organized in one space and find a sustainable system for her future endeavors. When Office Max told us about the TUL™ Custom Note-Taking System, we were definitely intrigued. The note-taking system includes tons of attachable organizational features like tab dividers, pocket dividers, task pads, page flags and rulers that all lock into the TUL™ discbound notebook. Additionally, their hole punch means that *anything* that can be punched can snap into the notebook. My personal favorite part of the TUL™ Notebook is the interchangeable paper — we can use lined, graph, dotted and margined paper all in the same notebook. This is especially key for us creatives, who are constantly sketching ideas as well as writing notes. With the help of this impressive note-taking system.

We concluded that compartmentalization, labeling, using many types of paper and making lists of action items would be the best planning system for. I set her up with a separate tab divider for each aspect of her life, with different types of paper — lined, graph and margined. We decided that she’d benefit most from tons and tons of lists, as well as a space that she could simply free-flow ideas. We landed on a highlighting and crossing-out system, and, most critically, added a task pad to each section for action items. We also got a  TUL™ Discbound Hole Punch so she could attach extra papers, magazine clippings, and color samples into the notebook.

I have tried so many systems in the past. They work for a moment but then I always get confused between what I should write in it and when to use my online tools. I never really felt that a planner had the fun visual elements that align with my creative nature. Honestly, this is the first notebook that has worked for me. The different types of paper, task pads and color tabs have made all the difference.” I really love all the color pens that go with the system.

I really want to be more accountable. Organizing my life with this notebook is a great start, and I’m really proud of myself for even getting this far. I look forward to the journey I started and believe that in a matter of time I’ll shift my bad habits into great habits. But I also think it’s about being realistic that this isn’t going to change overnight. It took a lifetime to create all of these habits, so naturally it will take time to change them, but I’ve already seen results and it feels SO GOOD!